The weakness or strength of any parent
by Bkipper
Summary: One skimmer finally came into view it’s bronze and red wings in a flat, sharp shape. “Run! RUN!” Piper screamed at her children, who picked up speed. Read to find out more!
1. Chapter 1

So I kinda believe that the Storm Hawks (as teenagers) will defeat everyone in Cyclonia except the Dark Ace... maybe until now.

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"Mommy!! Sonarr and I can't find my shoes!" Eisa called from the end of the hallway. Her mother turned around from washing the dishes, the window above her head shining through with the afternoon sun light.

"Did you look under your bed?!" Piper yelled, keeping her hands in the sink.

"Uh... Yeah!" Eisa yelled.

"In your closet?" The thirty eight year old asked.

"Yes!" Her six year old replied.

"What about the hall closet?!"

"Uh... No. I gotta look!" Eisa's sock covered feet thumped lightly down the long hall, Sonarr shaking her brown fur as she was awoken from her napping spot in a ray of sun as Eisa flew by her. "Come on, Sonarr! Once we find my shoes, I can go with Wrestin to see if I can go with daddy who's with Morsho who is gonna practice with a skimmer that-"

"Eisa! You know that only Morsho and your father are going on this little practice session, right?" Piper stood in the hall, wiping her hands off with a towel. Eisa smiled sheepishly.

"Well, yeah... but-"

"But nothing. You tell Wrestin that he can haul his butt in here and wait for your father and brother to get back." Her mother finished, turning on her heel to finish the last few plates and cups.

Eisa sadly frowned. "Okay, mommy... Come on Sonarr, let's get Wrestin." Eisa offered her shoulder to the creature, who accepted it. Sonarr looked almost exactly like Radarr, but she had brown fur, which was a bit longer. Sonarr blew some of Eisa's short midnight blue hair out of her sitting area, and gripped her friend's shoulder as Eisa took off extremely fast to swing open the door. Her older brother sat on the porch and suddenly turned to her.

"Well? Did you find your shoes?" As any eight year old, he was a bit impatient.

"Mommy says we can't go to see Morsho and daddy because the practice was..." Eisa trialed off, putting a finger to her mouth, and tried to remember. "Uh... YEAH! Only for them."

Wrestin pouted."It's not fair!" The red head propped his face on his hands, elbows resting on his knees. "How come Morsho gets to practice with dad?"

"Because," Their mother said who was at the door frame, drying off the last plate. "Morsho is twelve. When you're twelve, your father will definatly practice with you. But right now, I think you're too young to be learning about weapons and such."

Eisa plopped herself next to her brother, and sat cross legged on the edge of the wooden porch. She pushed down her white sundress and looked out to the sky, watching for her father and brother. Piper leaned on the railing that surrounded the porch, placing the plate on it. Wrestin patted Sonarr on her head, ruffling her brown fur and scratching her behind her left ear. Sonarr decided to settle between the two children, who kept their eyes feverishly on the sky.

"How much longer till daddy gets home?" Eisa suddenly asked.

"I don't know. He said that he and your brother would be all around the terra today. We'll just have to wait for them..." sighed their mother. Wrestin lay on his back, putting his arms behind his head. Piper looked down to her middle child, remembering all those times Aerrow pulled that same pose. The family silently waited for a couple more minutes, just watching the clouds move lazily in the wind. Bird calls echoed from the trees, a white bird flying away from the tree line and over their heads and the house. More birds suddenly followed, a big haze of fluttering wings filling the sound and sky around the family. Piper nearly dropped the plate, eyes going wide. Wrestin sat up and grinned, loving the rare phenomenon. Eisa already beat him to it, standing up and laughing, arms spread out like the hundreds of birds racing over her. Piper clutched the plate, not really knowing what was going to happen. Eisa tugged at her pant leg, smiling.

"Come on, Mommy! Look at all the birds!" Her daughter summoned her, Sonarr bewildered on the little girl's shoulder.

"Alright." The plate was put back on the railing, towel sitting on top. Piper let Eisa grab her hands and pull the hesitant woman out off the porch, to where Wrestin was standing.

"I wish dad was here to see this!" Wrestin exclaimed. Piper smiled, putting her hand on the boy's shoulder, and kept one of her hands clutched by Eisa. Sonarr decided that a better view was on Piper's shoulders, and climbed on.

The birds picked up speed, suddenly frantic. Piper ducked a bit to miss a black bird from colliding with her face, and her heart skipped a bit. Eisa was unaware, and continued to giggle. Wrestin, however, looked up to his mother as she looked down, two sets of orange eyes meeting for a split second. Piper was alerted to a screech from the brown creature on her shoulder, and turned to Sonarr. She was on the ground, shaking back her senses as the blue and green bird that had slammed into her fluttered its wings and took off again, trying to catch up with the rest.

"I think we should go back inside." Piper said, pulling her children back to the house. Eisa strayed a bit, and kept looking back over the tree line for something. This bird flock moving didn't seem right to her, or her mother. Wrestin stayed close, not leaving Piper. Sonarr bounded after them, jumping onto Eisa's shoulder, the pup staring behind her as well. The three made their way to the home and were halfway there when the birds finally vanished across the trees. The terra fell silent. No more bird calls or whistling wind. Eisa looked around; her heart beat the only thing the little girls could hear. Wrestin didn't like the silence either, as well as Sonarr. Piper dreaded it. The wind kicked up again, Eisa still not accepting relief. Her brother broke a smile for the return of sound, and started walking again. Piper grabbed his arm, freezing like a rabbit. The three stood still, wind teasing their hair, Piper not bothering to brush her long dark blue hair from her face. Eisa gasped when her little ears picked up a skimmer's energy hum.

"Daddy?!" Eisa's green eyes were planted on her mother. Piper doubted it, Aerrow never making so many birds scatter. Piper kept her eyes on the sound of many engines humming over the trees, her heart pounding with anticipation. Wrestin watched his mother's face freeze into a spark of fear.

One skimmer finally came into view; it's bronze and red wings in a flat, sharp shape. Piper gasped. _Cyclonians!_

"Run! RUN!" Piper screamed at her children, who picked up speed. Sonarr clung to Eisa's shoulders, fearing that she might fall off. Wrestin was running in front of his mother, who clung to Eisa's hand. Piper dared to look back, and she immediately regretted it. A whole bunch of Cyclonians were sitting on their skimmers, and it reminded Piper of the many times she and the Storm Hawks had easily defeated them. But with her children here... she had three other lives that couldn't protect themselves.

A cry and a sudden burst of an engine sound flared in her ears. Eisa screamed as a skimmer that now was a land vehicle snatched Wrestin from right in front of them, the boy's mouth covered from screaming as well. Eisa's sundress fluttered in the wind that parted as the skimmer blared on and took off into the sky. Piper cried out in anger and agony, releasing Eisa from her grasp. The little girl caught a glimpse of her mother's eyes that seemed to yell: _Get inside! Get out of danger!_

"Get inside!" Her mother's call confirmed.

Eisa ran, her heart pounding, her legs aching and lungs flaring in fire. Sonarr screeched and started to mutter gibberish in her ear. The creature saw Piper grab onto the next skimmer that had drove by and kick the driver off. Piper slammed on the gas and let the wings unfurl into the sky after her son. The man struggled with the boy, who was fighting for his freedom. _That's right Cyclonia..._Piper smirked._ Try taking my kids..._ Wrestin caught a sight of his mother, but didn't alert the driver, who was mostly concerned with keeping the kid on the skimmer. Wrestin flailed his arms around with fists as his hands, and managed to distract the driver to kick the hand controllers off to the side with the heel of his foot. The skimmer dropped and slowed, the driver deciding that this boy wasn't worth killing himself over. At that moment, Piper had leapt from her seat and nailed the man in the back of the head, sending him right over the controls to the wastelands. Wrestin hugged his mother, once again not feeling completely safe. His instinct was right.

"Hello, Piper. How are Aerrow and the kids?" The Dark Ace laughed wildly, the scar that Aerrow had left from their last battle running from his temple to the corner of his lip. The crystal specialist dived, Wrestin watching behind them to alert his mother of any dirty tricks. Piper spun the skimmer around as she could hear the blasts from his glowing red sword. Most missed, and one grazed the tips of her hair as the skimmer flew upside down to miss it.

"Damn it..." Piper scowled, remembering the last time that happened. Wrestin whimpered as the Talon was racing after them.

"Mommy!" He suddenly screamed as the Dark Ace swung his sword sideways to cut the boy in half. Piper's staff came from nowhere, the woman's reflexes sharp and quick. It blocked the red blade from doing any damage to her son.

"Don't even..." The woman growled in a deep voice, hatred dripping from her soul. The Talon drew away his sword and smirked.

"Maybe I'll just go after your daughter... She is alone now, right?" His laughed froze Piper and Wrestin's hearts as he dived to the terra, the house, and the daughter of the man whom the Ace hated so very much.


	2. Chapter 2

WOO! Now that I finished all ten chapters of the Party of Terra Liluo AND Mid terms... I have total freedom and time to finish this! Expect the next chapter soon. And thanks to TearWorkshop for giving me the idea about that flashback of the scar! It flows with the plot...And thank YOU for waiting!

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Eisa ran; it was the only thing she could do. Sonarr gripped the little girl's small shoulders, entirely fearful of falling into the chaos. Other Cyclonians were flying across the field, engines roaring in Eisa's ears. The only thing racing in her mind was the hope her brother was okay. Sonarr screeched in her ear, another one of the men trying to grab her. Eisa dove to the ground at the last second, his hand missing her by mere inches. She let out a whimper of fear and got back up, trying to keep her speed consistent. When the little girl reached the porch door, Sonarr let out a shrilly scream, tugging at her sundress's strap. Eisa turned to see a rain of red blasts aimed for her head. She dove again, the only way to stay alive. This group was different from the other rebel squadrons that had come here before. This group was trying to KILL her.

It froze her for a second, but Sonarr forced a yelp, alerting her to get inside. Eisa jumped up when the men were circling around the house to attack again. What was left of the front door was flung aside as she ran for the one room her parents were always sure was safe. Sonarr jumped off and ran in front of her, the brown furry monkey-rabbit dashing into her favorite closet. Eisa stopped dead, skidding along floor, pushing up the carpet.

"No, Sonarr! We gotta get in the safe room!" Eisa cried with her green eyes full of desperation. The pup disappeared into the closet, nowhere to be seen.

"Anyone home?" A voice called, a deep laugh following. The voice was not her father, so she let out a fearful squeak and ran through the hallway for safety. "It appears someone is." The Dark Ace commented at the doorway, hearing her shoes clack against the wooden floor.

Eisa stopped in front of the safe room, suddenly recalling she must push a code to get in. The girl's fear was clouding her mind, and the sound of someone approaching drowned her ears, only making it harder to remember. Then she considered the list her father taught her.

"_I can't remember THAT daddy!" She had said, laughing when her Sky Knight father had told her what it was. _

"_Of course you can." Aerrow assured. "Just make something up that will let you remember." _

"_Like a remembering list?" Eisa exclaimed, eager to share something with her father. He nodded, putting a hand to his chin to start the little poem._

"_Hmm... well...If the code starts with two... How many brothers do you have?"_

"_TWO!" Eisa confirmed, catching on. _

"_And how old are you?" Continued Aerrow, tugging on her hair a bit, making her hands shoot up as she giggled. _

"_Six." Her hands went down as her giggle faded, but her smile stayed. _

"_And what color are your eyes?" _

"_Green! Like you, daddy." His daughter answered. _

"_And what number is letter g?" The older Sky knight asked. This response took a while._

"_Uh..." She counted with her fingers. "Seven!" _

"_Yes, and how old is Wrestin?" Aerrow watched his wife come around the corner, smile at him, then disappears back down the hallway. _

"_Eight."_

"_How many uncles do you have?" _

"_Three! Uncle Finn, Uncle Junko, and Uncle Stork!" Sonarr leapt onto Eisa's shoulders as the girl finished. _

"_And finally, how old is Sonarr?" Aerrow finished after looking at Sonarr._

"_One. So the code is, two...six... seven...eight... three and one!" Eisa felt wonderful when her father smiled broadly._

"_That's it, sweetie!" _

The memory flashed in her mind in a matter of seconds, and she hurriedly tried to push in the code that could save her life. One of her hands gripped at the top of her sundress, the white cloth becoming wrinkled. It failed the first time, and the computer voice blared:

"**Invalid Code**."

Eisa froze for a second, hearing the footsteps pick up as if the person was running for her. She tried again, and the door swished open silently. The terrified girl ran in while the door slammed shut behind her. Eisa fiddled with her midnight blue hair, trying to recover as her heart beat wildly. Her ears pricked as the footsteps came to the other side of the door, and she ran away for cover as she heard a sudden loud energy hum come from behind her. She squeezed behind the big bookshelf in the homey room, choosing this spot a lot of times when she played hide and seek with her brothers. Her body trembled in fear, and she threw her hands over her mouth to muffle a scream when the door blew open, shards of the metal surface flying across the room. The energy hum and the faint red light extinguished, the Dark Ace evilly grinning as he stepped inside, knowing the key to this family was waiting in one of the corners of this very room. Eisa tried not to cry out for help when his footsteps, in painfully slow beats, thumped against the floor and around the room. She was completely shaking, heart just about vibrating in her chest. His footsteps stopped, and by the sound of them, he was close. Too close.

"What have we here?" His voice was glazed with amusement, and Eisa got ready to bolt out the other side of the shelf. His sword didn't light up like she thought, and no red eyes or evil smiles greeted her. "How adorable." The Dark Ace had picked up an old picture on the very shelf she was hiding behind. The entire family was enjoying a picnic, the summer sun shining beautifully onto the five. Piper laughed silently as Aerrow was being attacked by his children, his wife looking like she was about to join. Eisa was being tickled by the red headed Sky Knight, Wrestin hanging over the side of his father. Morsho was leaning forward, laughing with Radarr on his shoulders, and Sonarr sitting in the corner of the photo, extremely surprised.

The real Eisa relaxed a bit, trying to listen for the man to keep moving. The picture smashed on the floor, glass flying under the bottom of the shelf. A small shard cut Eisa on her ankle, the girl trying to hold back a cry, but her little almost soundless yelp of pain reached the ears of the Talon. Silence answered her, the girl bracing for attack. She turned to look over the other corner, glancing at the blown away door. His head came around the other side, her back to him. The crimson eyes caught her with exultant assurance, but were tainted with evil in every way possible. The Dark Ace remained quiet, waiting for her to turn around. He got his wish soon enough.

The six year old didn't see him, and twisted back. Her eyes caught him, surprised to catch a shadow where light should be. The terrible surprise jolted her heart, and her reflexes jerked to get away. Eisa gasped and tried to run, her body relying on pure adrenaline.

"Got ya." He growled, catching the back of her sundress, yanking her back with a mighty rip. Her head bobbed forward, body flailing with the pull.

"NO!" Eisa screamed with all her might, the word lost in the shrilly noise of the scream, as her hands gripped the side of the shelf for dear life. "DADDY! Help me!"

"Daddy can't help you right now." The Dark Ace pulled her harshly, trying to wrench her off of the shelf. He finally got tired of tugging, and brought his sword down onto her, the red glow at a wild light. Eisa screamed again when the sword smashed into the corner of the shelf, making her let go. And then without hesitation he dragged her through the house, Eisa screaming and wailing the entire time, grabbing onto things along the way.

"DADDY! DADDY!" Eisa continued to cry out, her voice getting higher and higher with each fearful yell. The older man was becoming agitated with her screams and struggles, and considered killing her right now. But he knew that it had to wait. The man was turning the corner of the long hallway that led straight to the door, Eisa being held out in front of him. What she caught sight of made her heart leap.

"DADDY!" Two sets of green eyes met, the Dark Ace only believing it was another one of her cries in vain. But the sudden noise of two blue blades flaring up in energy made him reconsider.

"Hello Aerrow. You never introduced me to the kids. So I decided to find out for myself. I've already met your son and wife. They're wonderful, by the way. But I haven't met your oldest son yet... What a shame." The Talon sneered, the red head seething with anger.

"Put. Her. Down. NOW." Aerrow's demand went on deaf ears, the Dark Ace picking her up off the floor, raising her as if she was a trophy.

"Put her down where?" He asked, placing his sword beneath her. "Right here?" It was angled to cut in her two, the Talon's grip on the top of her dress the only thing keeping her alive.

"You hurt her, and I swear, I'll-" Aerrow's anger was overwhelming, and the fear for his little daughter was a close second.

"Hurt her? Oh, okay then. I was waiting to kill her anyway. That doesn't count, does it?" The Dark Ace laughed, removing the sword and holding it at his side. "What a cutie, isn't she?" His red eyes narrowed, Eisa beginning to struggle again. "I figured I might: a) Kill her right now. b) Let her become a wonderful talon after erasing her memory. I mean, her father IS the one of the most talented Sky knights in all of Atmos."

"Eisa is MY daughter. I would never let her leave with you." Aerrow tried to walk forward more, carefully trying to make his way over. The Dark Ace held her to him, holding her arms down as he pressed the red sword to her throat.

"Or c: Give her ten as many scars you gave me." The Dark Ace lost his teasing tone, revenge clearly the option of this mission. Aerrow froze, not daring to make another step to endanger his daughter's life. Eisa had been silent the whole time, whimpering and shaking in terror. The blade's heat made her want to faint and the fearful look in her father's made her loose most of her faith. Her father was never scared. NEVER. That was one of the rules of being a daddy.

"She's not who you want, Ace. You know that." The Sky Knight tried to reason, taking another step. He pushed the sword closer to her dark skin, Sonarr peeking out of the closet fearfully.

"And do you recall what the reason was to give me this scar? To save your wife. Piper." The Dark Ace's eyes narrowed again, the scar making his left eye seem smaller. "So, to make you both suffer almost as much as I have the past thirty years, I might as well scar something that is so precious to the both of you."

Aerrow's eyes went wide for a second, Eisa holding back tears. He remembered that battle quite well, when he was nineteen:

"_AERROW!" Piper cried, her arms failing her as she held her crystal staff against the red sword above her head, trying to protect herself from the Talon's wrath. The Dark Ace took one hand from the sword, pulling back to hit her in the face. Aerrow flew from nowhere, the red head knocking him over his wife, Piper starting to rise from the ground. The Sky Knight wrestled with the older man, never before feeling to angry. _

"_YOU! If you ever try to hurt her again, I will do more-" Aerrow stopped and slashed the Ace across the face as he tried to push away. "Than that." The crystal blade's heat singed his face, the Dark Ace falling back with a yell of pain. _

Now, fifteen years later, he had someone else to protect. Three others, to be exact. One was a boy, so brave and valiant, reminding Aerrow of himself. The next was also a boy, sharp and quick-witted, and a bit cautious. The third was in front of him; facing death. She was sweet, pure at heart, and had such a free spirit that could give her father a run for his money. This was a fight Aerrow was not so certain of being able to win.

"Daddy..." Eisa whimpered out, the little voice reaching her fathers ear and renewing his ability to fight. But he had to wait for the right moment, or it would be Eisa's last. The Dark Ace watched him, keeping Eisa under his control. Something caught Aerrow's eye for a second, only lifting his eyes from the Ace for a moment, then letting his eyes dart elsewhere to not keep him suspicious.

"DAD!?" Morsho yelled, and the Dark Ace turned, Aerrow's fear flaring up even more. It was now or never. He dove for Eisa; one blade not lighted knocking her aside, as the other, blue glow ferocious, hit the Ace squarely in the chest.

"MORSHO! GET OUT OF HERE!" Aerrow demanded at his oldest son, who had his own green blade draw, ready to fight. But the twelve year old was torn between helping and running like, what he believed, a coward.

"But what about-?" His midnight blue hair, tipped naturally with a fiery red, swung about his face as he jumped back into a doorway to avoid the Dark Ace's body from slamming into him.

"I SAID GO!" His father shouted, diving for the Talon, who no longer had anything to shield the Sky Knight's anger. Morsho realized what danger he was putting not only himself, but his entire family in, and bolted for his brother and mother.

The Talon crashed into a small table, the wood breaking under his weight. Aerrow didn't waste a moment, falling back into the wild steps of battle. Eisa was shook up still, the held back sob releasing. Sonarr scurried back from the door of the closet as Aerrow threw the Ace against it, making a picture on the wall beside him smash to the floor.

"I told you if you ever hurt her," Aerrow tried to slash him across the face again, but missed by millimeters. "I would do more."

"Piper's not here, Aerrow."

"You did say Eisa was precious to both of us." He finished, green eyes beginning to glow blue. Eisa watched from her curled up position in the far corner as her father unleashed the lightning claw on the Cyclonian right hand man. Aerrow landed on his feet again, the Dark Ace beaten to the floor. The older man was beat down from the attack, but refused to give up. Eisa got up and tried to go to her father, and the Dark Ace took the opportunity to pull the last trick from his sleeve. Literally. Eisa turned when Sonarr suddenly peeped out of the closet, happy to see her friend okay.

No one saw the light orange crystal until it was too late. He tossed it, right past Aerrow, and it managed to knock into Eisa's back, the stone erupting in a bright blood orange. She stiffened like a board, her eyes widening and the green color of her iris's fading into a deep fire color. Aerrow watched the entire thing unable to stop the process. His daughter gasped and fell forward with a light fragment of a yelp, her body crumpling to the ground like a dropping blanket.

"EISA!" Aerrow cried, heart breaking. Sonarr whined while rushing to the fallen six year old. "EISA!"

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Me: It's not what you think! Wait for the next chapter please!

Readers: Fine. puts weapons away

You'll see what happens next chapter...


	3. Chapter 3

Wow... I hoped you guys would put away your weapons but alas no... So here's the next chapter! Chapter 3!

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She rested on the floor, her green eyes shut limply. Sonarr whined loudly in a howl like manner, and her brown ears hanged behind her head in sadness. Aerrow could not believe this; shock was overwhelming him. Not Eisa, not Eisa...Dear God not Eisa! Not his daughter. Not his only daughter.

"Eisa!?" His heart lurched in his chest, praying to see her move just the tiniest bit. He had no idea what the Ace had just hit her with. Piper was good at finding that out. His instinct as a parent made him disregard the Dark Ace. Aerrow could NOT stand loosing another loved one, like his parents... and now one of his children.

His earlier cries of anguish had alerted Piper and her sons, the mother's fear forcing her to disobey her husband's orders to stay hidden.

"Stay hidden; don't be tempted to leave this place for anything. Not even pride." Piper harshly warned her oldest, and left the boys under the shadows of the rock bed at the edge of the clearing. Wrestin almost followed her, the eight year old terrified to be left alone. His orange eyes were ripped from her when Morsho grabbed him back to the ground, whispering threats to stay hidden or else.

The older woman dashed among the trees, her crystal staff humming with energy. Her heart begged to go back to her boys but another part pushed her to her husband and daughter. Eisa had to be okay...Aerrow would protect her with his life. She only hoped he didn't get the opportunity. Piper hated how close the Storm Hawks had been to ending this madness, how close they were to stopping the hate. And now she couldn't let her children live peaceful, safe lives because of it. Because of how he got away at the very last moment. How he cheated death. Why did he deserve to cheat death, when so many others who deserve life were robbed of it? How? His master was gone, as well as his armies and Terra, all 'safe' boundaries had vanished... And yet he lived. He thrived. With a small but elite army that could kill. Kill children.

"Aerrow?" Piper called out, the Terra surprisingly silent as she came to the remains of the porch. "Eisa?" Her topaz eyes scanned it quickly, trying to grasp how but fifteen minutes ago she and her youngest children had sat peacefully here, waiting for Morsho and Aerrow to return. Its pale blue paint was chipped and burnt by gunfire and Piper looked forwards as the boards creaked and threatened to break under her weight. The door was hanging by a thread, or a bolt for that matter, the screen completely blown off. A piece of white fabric on the door's hinge caught her attention for a split second, but took her breath away. A white square, with its blue dot in the center, resembled the bottom of Eisa's sundress. Piper had to press on, and a long whine made her pick up her feet only to stop in her tracks. "Aerrow!"

"Piper?" His eyes made her heart sink. His wife raced to them, Sonarr pressing to the wall to let her grab and hold her daughter close.

"Wha-What happened?" She demanded to know, Aerrow not expecting her to ask. "What happened!!"

"Orange crystal hit her...Hit Eisa." Aerrow was gone, not knowing what to do...He felt helpless, hopeless...faithless. Piper could tell she was loosing him. He had acted the very same way when his parents had passed on.

"Aerrow. Please. I need you." Piper begged, her burnt hair rustling on Eisa's lifeless face. Aerrow's brain registered that last sentence, and he was jolted out of the haze his mind had laid out for him. His eyes met hers, and she had him once again. Anger followed.

"Dark Ace did this." Aerrow scowled, but didn't move. He had his grip on Eisa's body, his wife cradling her head and beginning to sob. Aerrow could not stop tears as well, but watched Piper's face harden as if she was thinking. He knew that face well. Sonarr let out a yelp, seeing the person no one was paying any attention to.

"Orange crystal..." Piper suddenly looked up at him with the slightest hint of hope. "Aerrow! It didn't kill her it only-"

"Wiped her precious little memory." Aerrow whipped his face around and got a blow to the face, Piper tightening her hold on her daughter's body, which was almost pulled with her husband. The Dark Ace turned onto the mother and her child. "Wonderful children you have. I think I might take one as my own." Piper figured his motive, and slowly shook her head in horror. He responded by slowly smiling, her dread filling his soul.

Her arms scooped Eisa up, her daughter beginning to move ever so slightly. The Ace knew he had only had a few more minutes or he could not carry out his mission. Piper ran, screaming for Aerrow to get up. Aerrow opened his eyes from the wild punch to see Piper dash away with Eisa, who he swore was now moving. The Dark Ace was not out of his sights though, and with Radarr suddenly flying from around the hall corner to smash into the Ace's face, Aerrow managed to catch up.

"You blasted rodent! I should shoot all of you!" The Dark Ace snarled. Sonarr sunk her teeth into his leg, the blue co-pilot's daughter refusing to let go. Radarr was flung off first, smashing into a picture on the wall. Sonarr was then his main concern. He tried to pull her off, and when that didn't work he tried to shake her off. Sonarr, once again, saw what was coming first. She let go and pushed away, just missing Aerrow's foot as he launched himself at the Talon. The Sky Knight's blade nicked the Ace's arm, cutting under the shadow of the older man's armor. His fist connected with his shoulder, hate poring into every force of that blow.

"Eisa... Wake up, its mommy!" Piper pleaded, rushing out of the home as she heard the Dark Ace's cry directed at the blue sky monkey.

"Mum...my?" Eisa murmured lightly, her vision just making out the outline of her mother. The woods began, and Piper had no other choice than to reach her sons.

"MOM!" Morsho cried. Piper turned to see a Talon reaching out at her. Morsho leapt of the top of the rock and literally spun in the air, his green blade burning the man's lower face. He cried out in pain and staggered away. The twelve year old ran back to his mother. Eisa's ears pricked lightly from Morsho's cry, a feeling of familiarity flashing for a second. Eisa was laid on the ground, the sounds of the wind and the native bird's calls filling her ears. Wrestin whimpered for Piper, the eight year old beginning to cry after one look at his fallen sister.

"Eisa? Eisa?" Wrestin sobbed over and over, Morsho falling absolutely silent and solemn for the first time in his life. "Where's daddy?" Wrestin asked between tears, Piper hugging him with one arm and brushing Eisa's hair from her face with the other. Eisa shivered at her mother's touch, but felt comforted and stopped her sudden groans of protest.

Wrestin suddenly leaned over his sister while calling her name as Piper begged him to shush. Wrestin was lightly pulled off her, Morsho holding him back. Piper began to calm herself. If Eisa woke up around the people who were linked to her lost memory, all would return to her.

Leaves crunched, someone coming to the rock bed. Morsho released his brother and stood up valiantly, his green blade glowing. The green glow heightened the shadows on his face, the sun rapidly becoming nothing but stars and a velvet layer of darkness. Piper watched her son with pride, Aerrow showing in every detail of the boy. His dark blue hair fell away from his ears, and the bright red tips of his hair got even brighter under the glow of his blade. Morsho faced the sound of the footsteps, but continued to listen for any other sound source. His father had made it clear how important it was to protect their family when he wasn't there.

When the person could come no closer, and Piper could do nothing to stop him, he lunged. His yell of anger rang into the maze of trees. The green blade was positioned at the perfect angle for a grown man, pushing onto the throat of the believed to be Talon.

Aerrow's blue blades rested on either side of Morsho's torso, the father smiling at his son.

"Quick, but not quick enough, son." He grinned down, the bruise on his chin glowing from the crystal blade that began to heat his skin. Morsho breathed a sigh of relief and managed a smile back with a cunning sly character that, once again, Aerrow had given him.

Aerrow let Wrestin dash at him and hug the life out him, the two red heads trying to wipe their tears away. Morsho sat against the rocks, not needing attention. Relief was enough for the boy.

"Eisa?" Aerrow simply asked, tired beyond all belief.

"She'll be okay, as long as we remain with her when she wakes up." Piper fiddled with hair now, the mother tired as well. The burnt edges blackened her navy hair, the woman's orange eyes falling dull in the conclusion of dusk. Aerrow put his weapons away, settling between his wife and daughter. Wrestin played with a leaf near Eisa's shoes, slowly ripping the pale yellow thing to nothing. Morsho pricked up suddenly, sensing danger. But it was only Radarr, a cut on the animal's arm. Sonarr scrambled after her father, tucking herself under his arm as they sat on a rock.

"Is everyone alright?" Aerrow finally filled the silence. Morsho nodded, Radarr letting out a chirp with his daughter.

"Yes, dad." Wrestin replied, eyes mirroring Piper's as she began to speak.

"I'm fine. But..."

Aerrow cut her off with a light, tender kiss.

"Eisa will be fine. I'll make sure of it." Aerrow smiled as Piper rested her face on his collar.

The family was still. Morsho decided to join his loved ones, Aerrow putting an arm around his oldest boy. Piper did the same with Wrestin. Eisa began to mumble things in her sleep.

"Eisa? Daddy's here." Piper pushed forward, leaning over Eisa. "Aerrow."

"Ae-row?" She tried to form the name, her eyes still shut.

"And mommy. Piper." Aerrow caught on, just as excited to get his daughter back. "Wrestin, Morsho, Sonarr, Radarr... we're all here."

The girl said nothing more than mumbles, her memory as hazy as an infant's. Her eyes did not open, as she lay there. The family was so wrapped up in their youngest member, chaos came before anyone could prepare.

"DAD!" Wrestin screamed with all his might, a talon's fist missing the Sky Knight's head by mere inches. Radarr leaped into action as well as Morsho. Sonarr pushed herself into a crevice, too worn out and scared to do more. Morsho threw a rock for the man's temple, the boy's aim off by so little, the talon cheating death by mere centimeters. But he hadn't cheated unconsciousness, and dropped to the forest floor. Three more made up for the loss though, and surrounded the family. The rock bed that was once a safe haven was now a trap. Piper could not engage herself in the battle, only defending Wrestin and Eisa. _Please God...save us. Don't kill these children. _

Piper's wishes were halted as she blocked a few metal spears from connecting with Wrestin's side, sliding back to her left to cover Eisa's head. The blasts and daggers tested her reflexes, but adrenaline made her fast. As well as experience. Not one harmful object passed her and her crystal staff, its energy hum low and dying. But she only needed its metal to block everything. Wrestin saw his father and brother fight together, watching each move and hit with sharpness and care. But with his forward careful watching came an opportunity.

The Dark Ace, face beaten and bruised, stalked over the rocks with silent accuracy, Sonarr pushing as far back as she could into the rock wall when his foot landed at her feet. Piper didn't see or hear him, keeping all attention on the four more Talons that had just joined the group. The blasts became faster and more accurate, one or two passing by. The Ace's comrades made sure not to hit him, and continued to fire at the woman. Aerrow turned back at his wife and younger son as he flipped the last Talon upside down into a tree. Morsho was beating his last opponent, and was distracted. But Aerrow didn't have as much concern for him when he caught sight of something that made his heart freeze.

"PIPER!" He yelled with fear in his voice, his wife turning to see the Ace, mere feet from her and her children. But her eyes failed her as a blast hit her square on, her protection gone. She let out a cry filled with physical and emotional agony, falling with a heavy thud. Wrestin screamed and tried to grab his sister away from the evil man, but was swished aside into the rock bed. His courage gripped to something, heaving him back up to his sister's side. Wrestin quickly pulled Eisa a few feet towards Aerrow and Morsho, who were racing to him. But the Ace slowly brought his sword to the bridge of Wrestin's nose, making everyone freeze. Wrestin saw nothing but a bright red glow and the outline of the Dark Ace's face. The boy could suddenly feel a hot explosion of pain erupting from his face. His hands lost Eisa, and the hard bark of a tree was his next companion. His tiny back cracked against the wood, Wrestin loosing consciousness.

Aerrow let Morsho run to his sibling, Eisa now his main priority, who was just beginning to fully wake. She let out a groan and her legs shifted to let her rise. The Dark Ace turned to glance back and smiled darkly at Aerrow, whose eyes were momentarily pleading for mercy. But Aerrow knew he wasn't going to get any and ran for his daughter. Morsho cried out for help, a talon trying to pull the green blade from his grasp. Piper woke near the Ace's feet, seeing her daughter waking. The same now weak orange crystal emerged from his pocket, and with one last look to the helpless family, whose faces pleaded with the man, he threw it. Aerrow was directly hit, and fell harshly without any protest. Wrestin and Morsho received the end of the memory wave, and dropped slowly next to each other, the two boys out like lights. Piper was next to the Ace, and wasn't affected.

"You won't get out here-" She began.

"Alive? Oh I believe I will. With your Eisa. Or should I say my Eisa?" He laughed, Piper standing.

"EIS-" She began to shout, the little girl looking in the opposite direction, her senses still hazy.

The Dark Ace, seeing the woman's eyes off him, knocked her on the side of her face with the blunt side of his crystal sword. The little girl was then scooped up by the Dark Ace, confused and staring straight at his bruised face. Her eyes flashed orange quickly, and her lost memory remained lost.

--

And that's all she wrote! For now, at least. Sooooo...(slinks under desk) I see you all got your weapons modified...


	4. Chapter 4

Oh boy... you guys are gonna hate me after this... Chapter **4**

--

The girl saw the woman fall after the older man had scooped her up, but she didn't know why. It was so dark, and the little girl could only make out the sharp features of the black haired man, even if his brass headpiece shone in the moon light. More sounds of people running came to her, and her confusion mounted. A creature leapt onto the man's leg that was carrying her, its brown fur ruffled and dirty. Her curiosity was awakened.

"What's that?" She asked, her green eyes bright. The man had noticed it long ago, and was trying to kick it off. "Can I keep it?"

"NO. It's... dangerous." The older man scowled into her ear. The creature's eyes met hers and a spark of familiarity struck her, but it passed as soon as it came. The thing looked like some type of brown monkey- rabbit, its yellow eyes pleading something, showing anything but danger. But she remained silent as her caretaker shoved it off into the leaf covered ground. She was carried further on, until the brown animal could not be seen anymore. More people, dressed similar to the man who was holding her, gathered around her and the black haired man along a drop off. The clouds below were dark and rolling onwards to nothing, their soft edges highlighted with the moon's rays.

The man let her down, but she clung to his leg, afraid to venture further with out him. Her dark skin was stained with dirt, and her white sundress was ripped and wrinkled. She tried to figure what was going on, to remember why she was here or who these people were...but all she could remember was the name: Eisa.

"Who's Eisa?" She asked no one in particular, but the older man with her looked down to her, almost hesitant to answer.

"Why?" His voice was much more soothing when he wasn't angry.

"I don't know...I just know it." She answered, turning away shyly to fiddle with the blue ribbon trailing off at her waist.

"Is it the only thing you know?" He put a hand to her shoulder, turning her back. She nodded.

"It's your name." He simply stated, looking out to the men preparing to leave, only about five left on the terra. Eisa thought for a moment, letting the ribbon fall from her little hands.

"Eisa?" She asked again to make sure. He only gave a sharp nod. There was a long pause, the wind trying to fill in the gap of sound. "What's your name?"

Her question was innocent, but demanding. He took a deep breath, and she could see the gleam of blood on his shoulder as his body shifted.

"The Ace."

"Ace?" Eisa was a bit confused again, that weird familiar feeling creeping into her brain again. "Is that it?"

"Yes. Names are...confusing and only fitting when they want to be." He somehow had confirmed her thoughts, and Eisa smiled lightly, enjoying his wisdom. It made her feel better. "We need to go now." His voice sharpened again, and she only followed silently. The Ace pulled her on in front of him and started the skimmer. Eisa jolted and shook, her short navy hair billowing around her face.

"Put your hands where mine are." His command was short, but his voice was deep and quick that she didn't disobey. Her hands were so small compared to his, and her round dark fingers contrasted with his big rough light ones. The two and his small army sped off into the dark sky, keeping the engines quiet and lulling, but Eisa couldn't sleep to them. Her mind was shuffled and answers hadn't been given, but she stayed quiet as the terra behind them was swallowed by the rolling clouds.

--

Aerrow's eyes shifted open, and he awakened with a gasp.

"EISA!" He screamed; face falling when she was nowhere to be seen. The Dark Ace was gone too. "No...No...no. Eisa." He turned around when he heard a small whine, and Wrestin picked himself up, trying to pull Morsho up, who was still knocked out. "Wrestin."

The boy stopped and froze, not able to see as his orange eyes tried to find the source of the voice.

"It's daddy." Aerrow added, the red head slumping next to his brother, beginning to cry.

"Daddy! Daddy!" He began to shout, the tears streaming to the ground. Aerrow picked himself up to comfort his youngest son. Morsho stirred, and jumped up, ready to attack a Talon who was long gone. Aerrow hugged Wrestin tighter.

"Bring it-" His green blade was lit, showing his young face fall like his father's had. Morsho was hit the pain of reality, and lowered his weapon into its holder. "Where's mom?" The boy asked a different question, already knowing the answer to the first one that was nagging at his brain. Aerrow stood up and looked around, his wife not visible. He lit his blue blades, and could make out a figure slumped on the ground. Her hair fanned out in such a manner that Aerrow knew who she was.

"Piper?" The father and sons dashed to her, Aerrow putting his blades away. He cradled her in his arms, trying to wake her. Wrestin kept crying, Morsho letting his brother hug him. Her orange eyes finally cracked open, and she cringed, looking up at Aerrow with tears in her eyes.

"I let him get away." She sobbed into his chest. Aerrow shook his head.

"No, Piper. He got the better of us...All of us." He could say no more, knowing by now it was useless to look for Eisa here. They had been out for hours at least, and it would take the Ace five minutes to get out of here. The boys slumped their heads, standing behind their mourning parents. Morsho's tears were fought to stay back, but they conquered him and fell down his face. He wrapped his arms around his younger brother, the two suddenly inconsolable. Aerrow and Piper held each other tightly, Piper beginning to cry as Aerrow silently shed his share of tears.

--

Eisa had somehow fallen asleep, for when she woke, the sun was just skimming the clouds with light. The engine rumbled under her, and hands were at her waist.

"Ace?" She quietly asked for him.

"Yes?" He said, sounding very tired. She looked back at him to get the first good look at his face.

He was an older man, around fifty five or so, with deep red eyes the color of blood. His hair was dark as a raven's feathers, sticking out from his brass headpiece that was now shining in the sunlight. And his skin was so light that in the sun's rays made him look colorless. Eisa looked away when he glanced down to her.

"Where are we?" Eisa turned left and right, seeing the other five men on their skimmers, and a small group ahead. The once grey clouds were dancing in the bright yellow and orange tints, the blue sky beaming merrily onto the pilots.

"In the south part of Atmos." Ace swiftly replied, not taking his eyes off the horizon.

"What's Atmos?"

"It's where we live. It's our world."

"Why is it broken?" Asked the little girl, seeing no land for miles.

"Broken?"

"Yeah, broken." Eisa repeated. "I can't see any land now. Just clouds."

"It's not entirely broken. You see, beneath those clouds is the 'connecting' land. The Wastelands. But it's too dangerous for anyone to just ride through there. It's full of monsters that can eat through metal and lava that boils up to the edge of those clouds." Ace explained, his voice comforting for some unknown reason to Eisa.

"Do the clouds protect us?"

"No, no. They just keep the monsters from picking out their victims...Well, yes; I suppose they do protect us." He smiled for the first time since she had been introduced to him, and she grinned, making him keep the smile for a little longer.

"Where are we going?" Eisa continued to ask questions. The Ace took another deep breath.

"I'm not sure." He lied.

"Oh..." Eisa didn't know what else to ask. Then it hit her. "Who was that lady?"

"What?"

"Who was the lady you hit before we ran? The one with the dark hair like mine." Eisa turned back to him, pulling at the dark tresses that reached the very top of her shoulders.

"She-She was a bad person." The Ace struggled for an answer, not expecting her to ask so soon. "Eisa?"

"Yes?" Was her reply, cutting herself off from another question.

"I am very tired right now. Can we just watch the clouds until I find out where we're going?" Ace pleaded, the dark circles under his eyes now clearly visible.

"Okay." Eisa leaned against him, rubbing her eyes as she remembered how tired she was. Her yawn reached his ears.

"Sleep."

"Okay, Ace." Eisa said before shutting her eyes to a cloud filled sea.

--

Sorry, the chapter was short...and yes, I do think the Dark Ace would be a good guy to the child.


End file.
